Method of making form fitting shoe structure



ug- 6, 1966 F. M. GILKERSON 3,266,073

METHOD OF MAKING FORM FITTING SHOE STRUCTURE Original Filed April 4, 1960 33 lllllIllll IIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 33 Im/E NT QI FRRh/CIS M-GILKERSOIV 40 By W United States Patent 3,266,973 METHOD 0F MAKING FORM FHTTENG SHOE STRUCTURE Francis M. Gilkerson, 5029 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee 17, Wis.

Original application Apr. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 19,764, new Patent No. 3,091,042, dated May 28, 1963. Divided and this application Dec. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 162,094

3 Claims. (Cl. 12-142) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 19,764, filed April 4, 1960, now Patent No. 3,091,042, granted May 28, 1963.

The present invention relates generally to the shoe art, and more particularly to a novel insole structure for stock shoes produced under known production methods, and to a novel method of making the same.

It has long been desirable to provide a stock shoe by present production methods for the genera-l trade, which is effectively form fitting as to the insole, yet has the external appearance of the accepted shoe of today. It has been desirable to provide a shoe including an insole having a substantial support for the longitudinal arch and formed generally to keep the entire foot in a balanced position to prevent the foot from slipping sideways or longitudinally in the shoe. It is also desirable that the provision thereof not interfere with present day conventional mass production methods, styling, or fitting of shoes. There has long existed the need for a shoe which properly positions the normal foot of a wearer, which can be purchased at the usual retail outlets, and which has the external appearance and style, as desired, of current shoes. Special orthopedic shoes can be purchased and various inserts are available, but a shoe providing proper positioning of the foot and maximum comfort for the run of the mill purchaser is not available as a stock item in the retail stores today.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel shoe construction and method of making the same which fulfills the long felt need as set forth in the foregoing paragraph.

In brief, the present novel shoe construction includes a premolded insole formed, for example, of a suitable cork and rubber compound, or the like, which is contoured to provide a substantial support and natural fit for the longitudinal arch and to keep the entire foot in a balanced position, yet the interior overall-measurements of the finished shoe product are substantially the same as that of a comparable shoe using a conventional insole. The outside measurements, appearance, and styling of the shoe are not changed. In making the shoe with the insole thus con-toured, a modified last is provided. A conventional last is feathered or reduced around the circumference or border of the sole, and the central area thereof is filled so that a convex, transverse cross section is achieved. Lasts of such predetermined modified bottom form may be provided by the last maker. Insoles are cast in molds made from the modified lasts, said insoles, in general, being concave in the forepart and heel areas and arched intermediate thereof to support the longitudinal arch of the foot.

Another object is to provide a novel shoe structure in a stock shoe which includes an insole that will prevent the foot from slipping laterally or longitudinally in the wear thereof, and which has a cross section area substantially equal to that of a comparable conventional insole.

Another object is to provide a novel cast insole for a stock shoe which is form fitting for the bottom-of a normal foot, which will not lump under the toes of the wearer, thereby decreasing wear on the outer sole, and which substantially eliminates running over to the inside or to the outside of the foot.

3,266,073 Patented August 16, 1966 Another object is to provide a novel method of making a shoe structure which incorporates the several unique features set out in the immediately preceding paragraphs.

Another object is to provide a novel shoe structure and method of making the same which properly positions the foot of a wearer in a stock shoe, yet offers no interference to the usual methods of making or styling shoes in the mass production methods of today.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken With the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional last;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1, showing the conventional last after modification in accordance with the present novel method of making a form fitting precast insole;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the last of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, vertical, cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3, the upper part of the last being broken away for conservation of space;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, vertical, cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, the upper portion of the last being broken away for conservation of space;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of a novel insole structure incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal, vertical, cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line S-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURES 9, and 11 are transverse, vertical, crosssectional views taken on substantially the lines 99, 10-10 and 11-11 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical, crosssectional view through the forepart or vamp of a shoe incorporating the present novel cast insole.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, 18 indicates a conventional shoe last, while 20 indicates generally a modified shoe last made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Comparing the modified shoe last 29 with the conventional shoe last 18, the former is beveled or feathered at 22 around the entire perimeter of the bottom or sole, as is clear from FIGURES 25. In a size 7 last for mens shoes, for example, the bevel 22 is substantially %2" in depth at the outer edge and feathers inwardly for a distance of substantially In the longitudinal arch area, the bevel depth is substantially twice as great, or and the inward feathering is correspondingly more. The island area defined by the inner circumference of the bevel 22 is deeper or thicker than the comparable area of the shoe last 18, being substantially thicker in the center area, feathering outwardly into the bevel 22 to form a smooth continuous last bottom, as is clearly illustrated in the drawing. Last makers provide these modified lasts 29 to specifications.

A mold is made from each modified shoe last 20 by any desired method in which cast insoles 26 are made.

A cast insole 26 for a size 7 mens shoe is generally of the configuration shown in FIGURES 6-l1 of the drawing. It will be observed that the novel molded insole 26 includes a raised longitudinal arch portion 28, a depressed heel cavity 39, and a generally concave portion 32 for the forepart of the foot. The marginal edge or periphery 33 of the cast insole 26 slopes inwardly, so that the bottom 35 of the cast insole 26 has substantially the same peripheral measurement or bottom outline as a standard fiat leather insole. Hence, there is no distortion outwardly of the shoe upper.

In FIGURE 12, the novel cast insole 26 is illustrated as part of a shoe 34. The shoe 34 includes the cast insole 26 disposed within a vamp 36 and vamp lining 38 and above an outsole 40 which is glued to the inturned edges of the vamp 36 (upper) in the usual fashion of shoemaking. A small amount of filler material 42 may be disposed at each side of the present insole 26.

It is manifest that any process of shoemaking may be employed in applying the sole 40, such as the Goodyear welt, stitchdown, McKay, and the like. A unique feature of the present invention is the fact that its use requires no change in any of the modern methods of shoemaking. The cast insole 26 is merely substituted for a conventional insole and modified lasts 20 replace conventional lasts 18.

In FIGURE 12, it is clear that the over-all closed path made by following the vamp lining 3S and the upper surface of the cast insole 26 on a transverse vertical section is substantially the same as a similar continuous path formed by following the vamp lining 38 and the upper surface of a regular flat insole 44 indicated by dotted or broken lines. The novel cast insole 26 extends above the stock fiat insole 44 at the sides thereof and below it intermediate the sides. In other words, the normally unoccupied space at the juncture of the insole and upper in a normal shoe is utilized by the present novel cast insole 26 in properly positioning a foot. This fact and the further factor of forming the cast insole 26 centrally of a thickness less than that of the conventional insole 44 avoids an overtight or snug fit, and the requirement of an over-all deeper shoe, which the public always has resisted purchasing. This is another significant feature of the present novel shoe structure.

It :is manifest that the raised longitudinal portion 28 of the cast insole 26 effects a substantial support for the longitudinal arch of the foot. Additionally, the heel cup and the concave foreportion of the cast insole 26 provides comfortable reception for the affected portions of the foot in a manner to prevent slipping or sliding of the foot backwardly and forwardly or sideways in the shoe 34. There is no lumping of the insole under the toes, and rolling sideways of the foot to overturn or overrun the shoe either to the inside or to the outside is prevented.

It is to be understood that specific dimensions of bevel and feathering will vary with the shoe size, or type. The marginal edge of the cast insole 26 may be varied to satisfy different methods of manufacture, as an integral portion may be provided for stitching.

Basically, the cast insole 26 is formed with the upper surface contoured for the foot and to the particular last, and the bottom surface substantially flat and of a pcriphery substantially equal to the periphery of the bottom of a conventional leather insole.

It is manifest that there have been provided a novel shoe structure and a novel method of effecting the same.

The objects and advantages sought therefor are achieved thereby.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings have been given by way of illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the several parts, substitution of equivalent elements or steps, and rearrangement of parts or steps, which will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of making a contoured shoe structure comprising the steps of providing a last modified in comparison with a regular last in having the bottom feathered around the periphery thereof to a depth of substantially five thirty-seconds of an inch and inwardly substantially five-eighths of an inch, and in having the area within the inner line of the feathering of a depth of substantially one-sixteenth of an inch feathered outwardly to merge with the feathered periphery, and casting insoles conforming to the bottom of said modified shoe last to provide cast insoles for use in shoes of otherwise regular construction.

2. In the method of making a contoured shoe structure, the steps of modifying a regular last by reducing selected areas adjacent the periphery of said last and adding to selected central areas to provide a rounded bottom of substantially the cubic content of the initial last, providing a complementary insole, and lasting with the modified. last and complementary insole a shoe having the selected external appearance of a regular shoe.

3. In the method of making a contoured shoe structure, the steps of modifying a regular last by reducing selected areas adjacent the periphery of said last and adding to selected central areas to provide a rounded bottom of substantially the cubic content of the initial last, providing a complementary insole having a cubic content substantially that of a conventional insole and filler, and lasting with the modifiedlast and complementary insole a shoe having the selected external appearance of a regular shoe.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,489 12/1914 Hilgert 12-142 1,479,899 1/1924 De Ridder l2-142 1,518,840 12/1924 De Ridder 12-142 1,693,535 11/1928 Wolfer 12142 1,827,044 10/1931 Simon 12142 1,959,876 5/1934 Rich 12.142

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD V. BENHAM, Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A CONTOURED SHOE STRUCTURE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A LAST MODIFIED IN COMPARISON WITH A REGULAR LAST IN HAVING THE BOTTOM FEATHERED AROUND THE PERIPHERY THEREOF TO A DEPTH OF SUBSTANTIALLY FIVE THIRTY-SECONDS OF AN INCH AND INWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY FIVE-EIGHTS OF AN INCH, AND IN HAVING THE AREA WITHIN THE INNER LINE OF THE FEATHERING OF A DEPTH OF SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH FEATHERED OUTWARDLY TO MERGE WITH THE FEATHERED PERIPHERY, AND CASTING INSOLES CONFORMING TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID MODIFIED SHOE LAST TO PROVIDE CAST INSOLES FOR USE IN SHOE OF OTHER WISE REGULAR CONSTRUCTION. 